Share how the proposed Provincial budget cuts may impact recreation in your community.
Share your input here: Impact of Proposed Provincial Budget - Share Impact on Recreation in your Community
With the provincial legislature still in session and the budget not yet finalized, this is a critical window to influence decisions that affect recreation across Nova Scotia. Your input will directly inform Recreation Nova Scotia’s advocacy and engagement efforts.
What We Need from You:
We’re looking for specific, real-world examples of what recreation funding means in your community and what changes would look like on the ground.
Help us paint a clear picture by considering the following when sharing:
- What programs or services are funded (e.g., Active Living, community grants, local initiatives)
- Who is impacted (how many people, which groups, how often)
- What participation looks like (e.g., weekly programs, seasonal events, drop-in access)
- What would change if funding is reduced or lost
Show us the impact.
For example: A community program funded through a provincial grant program might support dozens of older adults staying active multiple times a week, reducing isolation and improving health. The funding may support instructors, or facility space, and be matched by other contributions from other sources. Without it, the program was be cost-prohibitive and those same individuals could lose a vital connection to their community and their well-being.
Across Nova Scotia, people are already describing recreation as:
- A key support for managing physical and mental health
- A way to stay connected, especially in rural communities
- A foundation for inclusive, accessible programming
- A driver of community pride, belonging, and even local economic stability
Many are also raising concerns that without sustained funding:
- People may face increased isolation, reduced activity, and declining health
- Programs built with community trust could disappear
- Organizations may be forced to raise fees or cut services altogether
- Rural communities could lose vital opportunities that help keep people living and thriving locally
Thank you to all who have reached out, shared, contributed in our surveys and town halls. We are collating all of this information to help inform our immediate and longer-term next steps to demonstrate the importance of investments in recreation for community wellbeing.